Vehicles may be equipped with structures that absorb and direct forces and/or energy associated with an impact. The vehicle structures divert and absorb the energy associated with the impact into energy that deforms the vehicle structures. The vehicle structures may be designed to accommodate the introduction of the energy of the impact, such that the energy associated with the impact may be controllably dissipated and directed through selective and preferential deformation of the vehicle structures.
In one example, a vehicle may include a side pillar assembly. The side of the vehicle may be struck by an object or barrier in what is referred to herein as a side impact. In a side impact, the object or barrier may strike the side of the vehicle in the vehicle lateral direction, which may cause the side pillar assembly to deform and intrude into the cabin of the vehicle.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative structures for directing energy associated with a side impact to minimize intrusion of the side pillar assembly into the cabin of the vehicle.